Sony Music Entertainment / AWAL and Kobalt Neighbouring Rights businesses merger inquiry
The CMA has investigated the completed acquisition by Sony Music Entertainment of AWAL and Kobalt Neighbouring rights businesses from Kobalt Music Group Limited.
Phase 2
Administrative Timetable
Date of referral: 16 September 2021
Statutory deadline: 17 March 2022
- (18.2.22)
Contact
Final report
16 March 2022: The CMA has cleared the completed acquisition by Sony Music Entertainment of AWAL and Kobalt Neighbouring rights businesses from Kobalt Music Group Limited and has published its final report.
- (16.3.22)
- (16.3.22)
- Press release: CMA clears Sony’s acquisition of AWAL (16.3.22)
Responses to provisional findings
- (8.3.22)
- (8.3.22)
Provisional findings
11 February 2022: The CMA has provisionally cleared the completed acquisition by Sony Music Entertainment of AWAL and Kobalt Neighbouring rights businesses from Kobalt Music Group Limited.
- (15.2.22)
- (15.2.22)
- (11.2.22)
- (11.2.22)
- Press release: CMA provisionally clears Sony’s acquisition of AWAL (11.2.22)
Responses to issues statement
- (22.12.21)
- (18.11.21)
Notice of extension of inquiry period
- (18.11.21)
- (3.11.21)
Issues statement
11 October 2021: The issues statement sets out the scope of the inquiry. It outlines initial theories on what might be adversely affecting competition, but it does not set out findings or conclusions. The deadline for submissions on the issues statement is 5pm on Monday 25 October 2021.
- (11.10.21)
Directions to appoint a monitoring trustee
6 October 2021: On 05 October 2021, pursuant to an initial enforcement order dated 17 May 2021, the CMA directed Sony Music Entertainment to appoint a monitoring trustee.
- (6.10.21)
Inquiry group appointed
16 September 2021: The CMA has appointed the inquiry group:
Margot Daly (Chair), Paul Hughes, John Thanassoulis and Ashleye Gunn.
Terms of reference
16 September 2021: the CMA has referred the completed acquisition by Sony Music Entertainment of AWAL and Kobalt Neighbouring rights businesses from Kobalt Music Group Limited for an in-depth investigation.
- (16.9.21)
Phase 1
Statutory timetable
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 7 September 2021 | Decision announced |
| 1 July 2021 to 15 July 2021 | Invitation to comment |
| 1 July 2021 | Launch of merger inquiry |
| 17 May 2021 | Initial enforcement order |
Reference decision
16 September 2021: The CMA has referred the completed acquisition by Sony Music Entertainment of AWAL and Kobalt Neighbouring rights businesses from Kobalt Music Group Limited for an in-depth investigation, on the basis that, on the information currently available to it, it is or may be the case that this merger has resulted or may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within a market or markets in the United Kingdom.
- (16.9.21)
Reference unless undertakings accepted
7 September 2021: The CMA has decided, on the information currently available to it, that it is or may be the case that this merger may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within a market or markets in the United Kingdom. This merger will be referred for a phase 2 investigation unless the parties offer acceptable undertakings to address these competition concerns.
- (11.10.21)
- (7.9.21)
- Press release: Sony’s purchase of AWAL raises competition concerns (7.9.21)
Statutory timetable restarted
14 July 2021: The CMA is satisfied that the information required by the CMA in a Notice under section 109 of the Enterprise Act 2002 has been provided by Sony Group Corporation (Sony) as required by the Notice.
- (14.7.21)
Statutory timetable suspended
5 July 2021: The statutory timetable was suspended on 5 July 2021 when Sony Group Corporation (Sony) failed to provide information required by the CMA in a Notice under section 109 of the Enterprise Act 2002 by the deadline.
- (5.7.21)
Launch of merger inquiry
1 July 2021: The CMA announced the launch of its merger inquiry by notice to the Parties.
- (1.7.21)
Invitation to comment: closes on 15 July 2021
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is considering whether it is or may be the case that this transaction has resulted in the creation of a relevant merger situation under the merger provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002 and, if so, whether the creation of that situation has resulted, or may be expected to result, in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services.
To assist it with this assessment, the CMA invites comments on the transaction from any interested party.
These comments should be provided by the deadline set out above.
Initial enforcement order
17 May 2021: The CMA has served an initial enforcement order under section 72(2) of the Enterprise Act 2002 in relation to the completed acquisition by Sony Music Entertainment of the AWAL and Kobalt Neighbouring rights businesses from Kobalt Music Group Limited.
- (19.5.21)
Amendments/consents granted
- (2.3.22)
- (10.8.21)
- (18.6.21)
- (18.6.21)
- (2.6.21)
- (19.5.21)
- (19.5.21)
- (19.5.21)
- (19.5.21)
- (19.5.21)
Updates to this page
Published 18 May 2021Last updated 16 March 2022 + show all updates
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Final report with appendices and glossary published.
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Responses to provisional findings published.
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Derogation published.
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Administrative timetable updated.
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Provisional findings with appendices and glossary published.
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Notice and summary of provisional findings published.
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Update to administrative timetable published.
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Sony response to issues statement published.
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Notice of termination of extension of inquiry period, revised administrative timetable and response to the issues statement published.
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Notice of extension of inquiry period published.
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Full text of the phase 1 decision and issues statement published.
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Directions to appoint a monitoring trustee published.
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: Administrative timetable published.
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Administrative table published and inquiry group appointed.
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Terms of reference and Decision to refer published.
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Reference unless undertakings accepted announced and summary of phase 1 decision published.
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Derogation published.
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Statutory timetable restarted and the notice of termination of extension has been published.
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Statutory timetable suspended, with notice of extension published.
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Launch of merger inquiry and invitation to comment published.
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Derogations published.
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Derogation published.
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Initial enforcement order and derogations published.
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First published.